BURDEROP trainer Neil King has admitted it is unlikely dual-purpose performer Regulation will be seen at Royal Ascot.

Although the six-year old holds an entry in the Royal Hunt Cup on June 17, King believes the chances of him making it into the mile contest are slim.

As a back-up plan, King will now run Regulation, who finished second over hurdles at Warwick on his most recent outing last month, in the Investec Mile handicap at Epsom on Friday.

King, based at Upper Herdswick Farm, said: "Looking at it at the moment, Regulation has not got much of chance of getting in the Royal Hunt Cup.

"We have had this race at Epsom in the back of our mind. The track will suit him well and he has been in good form over hurdles lately.

"He would have won at Warwick last time out but it was too soft.

"If he has any chance of going to Royal Ascot he will have to win on Friday or run very well."

Looking ahead to later in the season, King has also outlined an ambitious plan on the Flat for Lil Rockerfeller, another who also plies his trade over hurdles.

After winning a juvenile handicap hurdle at Sandown on the final day of the National Hunt season in April, the four-year old claimed a battling second in a mile-and-three-quarters handicap back on the level at Salisbury last month.

King said: "Although he took a lot of pushing at Salisbury, that is his style of running. I think he was unlucky as if the winner had eyeballed us, Lil Rockerfeller would have battled even more.

"We are going to give Royal Ascot a miss and give him a break now with the plan to run him in the Cesarewitch. He could go straight there without another run."